Widely prevalent is a horizontal band saw machine that is provided with a (so-called “divided-vise type”) vise mechanism for clamping a workpiece at both upstream and downstream sides of its cutting position. In addition, a divided-vise type vise mechanism includes two sets of vises. Each of the two sets has a pair of jaws that face to each other along a width direction of a workpiece perpendicular to its feed direction. One of the two sets of vises is located on the downstream side of the cutting position along the feed direction, and another thereof is located on the upstream side of the cutting position along the feed direction. In addition, one of the jaws is located on one side along the width direction, and another thereof is movable in the width direction on another side hereof (see Patent Documents 1 and 2 listed below).
In the horizontal band saw machine provided with the divided-vise type vise mechanism, used is a configuration for automatically adjusting a distance of the pair of saw blade guides according to a width of a workpiece. The pair of saw blade guides is suspended between a pair of saw blade wheels on a cutting head (saw blade housing). One of the saw blade guides is located on the one side along the width direction, and another of the saw blade guides is movable in the width direction on the other side thereof.
As the configuration for automatically adjusting the distance of the pair of saw blade guides, a contact guide extended vertically is provided on the other jaw of the upstream-set vise. In addition, a follower member that contacts with the contact guide is provided on a back surface of the other of saw blade guides. When a band saw blade is circularly fed in a state where the band saw blade is clamped by a saw blade insert of the other of saw blade guides, the other of saw blade guides slides toward the one side in the width direction until the follower member contacts with the contact guide.
Therefore, when the band saw blade is circularly fed by rotating the pair of saw blade wheels after clamping the workpiece by the two sets of vises, the other of blade guides can be moved to a position associated with the other-side jaw. Namely, the distance between the pair of saw blade guides can be automatically adjusted according to the width of the workpiece.